LESSON 4

Geometry Model of a
3-D Clevis

1
R
Z

Z X

Objectives:
■ Create a new database.

■ Create geometry.

■ Change the graphics display.

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 LESSON 4 Geometry Model of a 3-D Clevis

Model Description:
In this exercise you will create an analytic solid model of a clevis by
defining MSC⁄PATRAN points, curves, surfaces, solids, and a user
defined coordinate system. Throughout this exercise you will become
more familiar with the use of the MSC⁄PATRAN select menu. You will
also be introduced to another viewing method and shown how to
change your model’s render style. Shown below is a drawing of the
model you will build and suggested steps for its construction.

8
1/4
3/4

4 Suggested surface boundaries

x
2 Dia 2 Radius

Suggested Exercise Steps:

■ Create a new database and name it Clevis.db.

■ Set geometry preference to PATRAN 2 convention.

■ Create a surface model of the top half of the clevis as shown

in the front view above. Place the center of the hole at
[0,0,0].

■ Create solids that represent the first third of the solid model’s
total width.

■ Use the Viewing/Transformations… option to change the

model’s current view to an isometric view.

■ Create the bottom half of your model by mirroring all of the

solids about the y-axis mirror plane located at y=0.

■ Create the remaining solids that represent the last two thirds
of your model in the width direction (z-direction).

■ Turn all the entity labels off and render your model in a
hidden line render style.
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 Exercise Procedure:
1. Open a new database and name it clevis.db.
Open a New
Database File/New Database...
New Database Name clevis
OK

New Model Preference

Tolerance Default
OK

2. Change the geometric preference to PATRAN 2

convention.

The PATRAN 2 Convention convention represents a special class of

parameterized geometry known as parametric cubic. This option
allows the user to create geometry that can be exported and imported
into PATRAN 3 through the PATRAN 2 neutral files and IGES files.

Preferences/Geometry...
Geometric Representation Patran 2 Convention
Solid Origin Location P3/PATRAN Convention
Apply
Cancel

3. Create a point on the inner radius of the hole in the clevis.

Create
Click on the Geometry switch in the Main Form.
Points Using
XYZ Method Geometry
Action: Create
Object: Point
Method: XYZ
Point Coordinates List [1, 0, 0]
Apply

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LESSON 4 Geometry Model of a 3-D Clevis

In case you want to see the newly created point a little better, simply
increase the point size through the Display/Geometry menu:

Display/Geometry...
Point Size: 5
Apply
Cancel

Also turn on the Entity Labels.

Display/Entity Color/Label/Render...
Show All Entity Labels
Apply
Cancel

4. Use the point you just created to sweep 4 curves that will
define the upper half of the radius of the hole in the clevis. Creating a
Curve Using
Action: Create the Revolve
Object: Curve Method
Method: Revolve
Total Angle 180
Curves per Point 4
Point List Point 1
Apply

If the Auto Execute button is on you do not need to press Apply

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 Curves 1 through 4 can now be seen in the Viewport.

3
3 2

4
2

4 1

5 1

Z X

Translation 5. You will now use Curvilinear Transformation to create the

using outer radius of the lug by radially translating the curves
Curvilinear that define a quarter of the hole.
Transformation To accomplish this you will first need to create a cylindrical coordinate
frame located at the center of the hole.

Action: Create
Object: Coord
Method: 3Point
Type Cylindrical
Apply

This process was rather simple, since the origin, Z-axis, and XZ plane
of the desired coordinate system were already defined by default on
Transform the form.
Create a a
Curve by
Cylindrical
Translation Action: Transform
Coordinate
System Object: Curve
Method: Translate
Type of Transformation Curvilinear in Refer.CF

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LESSON 4 Geometry Model of a 3-D Clevis

Refer. Coordinate Frame Coord 1

Translation Vector <1, 0, 0>
Curve List Curve 1 2
Apply

Curves 5 and 6 appear in the viewport.

3
3 2

5
4 2

4 1
T

Y5 1
Z R 1 6

Z X

6. You have now created all the curves that you will need to
complete your clevis model. Next, you will create the Create a
necessary surfaces for the model. You will start by Surface
creating a 4x2 Surface that defines part of the upper half of
the clevis body.

Action: Create
Object: Surface
Method: XYZ
Vector Coordinate List <-4, 2, 0>

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 Origin Coordinate List [-2, 0, 0]
Apply

Turn display lines on:

7. The next series of Surfaces will be created using the Curve

Create a Method. This is very similar to the 2L option of PATRAN
2.5, but has been expanded to allow more flexibility. We
Surface using will see why it is now called the Curve Method and not the
the Curve Line Method.
Method
Let’s start on familiar ground: a surface between 2 Lines.

Action: Create
Object: Surface
Method: Curve
Option 2 Curve
Starting Curves List Curve 1, 2
Ending Curve List Curve 5, 6

In most MSC⁄PATRAN forms the default setting for the Auto Execute
button is on. If the form executes before you have entered all the data
correctly, the undo button will undo what you have just created. Turn
off the Auto Execute button and redo your selection.

If the Auto Execute switch is off and the curves have been selected,
hit:

Apply

To create the next surface you will use the Select Menu to help you
define an existing curve and surface edge as the boundaries of the new
surface.

Starting Curves List Curve 4

Next, click in the Ending Curve List databox, and then select the
Surface Edge icon on the select menu.

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LESSON 4 Geometry Model of a 3-D Clevis

In the viewport, pick the edge of Surface 1 as shown in the figure

below.

Pick Here

If the Auto Execute switch is off, click on the Apply button to create
the surface. Surface 4 appears in the Viewport.

To create the final surface, you will utilize the Select Menu to define
the ending curve as a line between two defined Points.

Change the Starting Curve List to Curve 3. Remember to select the

curve icon from the Select Menu before you select Curve 3.

Starting Curves List Curve 3

Click in the Ending Curve List databox. Select the 2-point icon in the
Select Menu.

2-point icon

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 In the viewport, pick Points 8 and 10 as shown below.

Point 8

Point 10

Patran will evaluate the location of Points 8 and 10 and create a

theoretical curve between them. This defines the second curve. Click
on:

Apply

Surface 5 appears in the Viewport.

8. You will now use the Surfaces you have just created as
patterns to define solids (3-dimensional entities).

Action: Create
Object: Solid
Method: Normal
Thickness 0.25
Surface List Select all on Screen
Apply

Solids 1 through 5 will appear in your Viewport.

9. To obtain a more descriptive view of the solids you will

View using the now change the model’s view by using the new interface
Transformation to the Transformations View option.
Option

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LESSON 4 Geometry Model of a 3-D Clevis

Click on Viewing in the Main Form and select Transformations…

from the pull-down menu. The following form appears.
Transformations
Screen Relative

Options...

OK

Click once on

and once on

to rotate the view 30o about the screens y-axis and 30o about the
screens x-axis respectively. Your model should now be oriented
similar to the one shown below (the picture below has display lines
on). Click on the OK button to close the Transformation form.

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 You will now perform a series of transformations on the solids to
create the remainder of your geometry model.

10. Create the lower half of this part of the clevis model.
Transform
Using Mirror Action: Transform
Method
Object: Solid
Method: Mirror

Click in the Define Mirror Plane Normal databox. Notice that the
mirror plane is no longer limited to solely X, Y, or Z and that now
mirroring can be performed about any arbitrary mirror normal vector
defined by a base and a tip

The mirror plane for this model is the global XZ-plane. The vector
perpendicular to that plane points in the global Y-direction. Notice that
global Y is aligned with the ‘2’ direction of your local coordinate

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LESSON 4 Geometry Model of a 3-D Clevis

frame 1. To use the 2-axis to identify the orientation of the mirror

plane, select the icon indicating coordinate axis 2 from the Select
Menu as shown below.

Click here

Next, select Coordinate Frame 1 in your viewport.

Click in the Solid List databox of the Geometry form and select all
solids in the Viewport.

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 Solids 6 through 10 appear in the Viewport as shown below.

11. The remaining solids will be created using the translate

Transform method.
using the
Translate Action: Transform
Method Object: Solid
Method: Translate
Translation Vector < 0, 0, -.25>
Repeat Count 2

Translating the solids in two steps is the trick for creating congruent
geometry which is needed for the meshers.

Solid List Solid 1, 6

Apply

Solids 11 through 14 appear in the Viewport.

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LESSON 4 Geometry Model of a 3-D Clevis

Your last construction step is to translate copies of the solids that

surround the hole to create the final solids.

Click in the Translation Vector databox.

From the Select Menu pick the tip and base points icon.

To define the translation vector, pick Point 10 then Point 40 as

shown below.Use Select Corners icon from the toolbar.

Select Corners Fit View

After selecting the points use Fit View icon to zoom out.

Point 40

Point 10

Z X

4147
1115

46
40
14
10
13
11
48 11 21
42 8
16
12 55 6

44 22 33 19
23
3945 4 3 3 2 7
9 13 4 T 20
14 24 2
12 5
49 6
1 1 22 5
2743
25 9 R 1 17
38Z 18
37 6
35 29 31 7
Y 50 33
44 10
28
26 8
X 36 3032
Z 34

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 Change the Repeat Count to 1. Click in the Solid List databox. In your
Viewport, select all solids that surround the hole.

Solids 15 through 22 appear in the viewport. The model is now

complete. Next you will practice changing the rendering style of your
model.

12. To complete this exercise, you will close the database.

Close the
Database File/Quit

This will exit MSC/PATRAN and close your file. Do not delete the
database from your directory since you will use it for future exercises.

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